Railway-frog.



RLXTE'IIVTJEID OCT. 31, 1905.

, J. E. GRAHAM.

RAILWAY FROG.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 11, 1905.

( W F! F l M F 'I I Inventor,

Flttomess.

UNITED STATES I PATENT FFTCE. JOHNIENGLE GRAHAM,- OF SALEM, viaernm.

RAILWAY-FROG.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Oct. 31, 1 905.

Application filed January 11, 1906. Serial No. 240,598.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN ENGLE GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Railway-Frog, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway-frogs.

The objects of the invention are to simplify the construction and measurably increase the efficiency of such devices, to render unnecessary the employment of guard-rails opposite the frog-point, practically to eliminate side thrusts from the wheels of the rolling-stock against the frog-point, positively to retain the frog-rails and frog-point assembled, to prevent the wheel-fianges from striking the frogpoint, and generally to improve and simplify appliances of this character.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and. combination of parts of a frog-point, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, there are illustrated two forms of embodiment of the invention each capable of carrying thesame into practical operation, it being understood that the elements therein exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from the spirit thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in plan exhibiting a section of a railway track equipped with one of the frogs of this invention. Fig. 2 is a view in transverse section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2 2,

Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrow thereon. Fig. 3 is a View in plan of a frog embodying another form of the invention. Fig. 4 is a view in transverse section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 3, and looking in the direction of the arrow thereon. Fig. 5 is a View in side elevation of one of the frog-blocks shown in connection with the form of invention exhibited in Figs. 3 and 4:.

Referring to the drawings and to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, 1 and 2 designate a pair of frog-rails, and 3 a frog-point. These parts may be of the usual or any preferred construction, and therefore need no detailed description. v

The present invention resides in the novel construction of the frog proper and is designed as an improvement upon a railwayfrog for which application for Letters Patent in the United States was filed December 19, 1904:, and serially numbered 237,508.

The frog proper comprises two frog-blocks 4 and 5 and a spacing-block 6, which parts are held suitably assembled by bolts 7. Each of the frog-blocks is a counterpart of the other, so that a description of one will serve for both. The block may be either rolled or cast, as preferred, and is provided on its lower outer side with a base-flange 8, on its upper outer side with a wheel-flange 9, on its inner side with a rail-tread seat 10 and adjacent to the wheel-flange with a wheel-rim tread 11. The block is formed on proper lines and curves to cause the wheels to be switched from one track to another in the usual manner and generally conforms to the lines of an ordinary frog. When the frog-blocks are constructed as shown in Fig. 1, the wheel-flanges converge toward the center of the frog in the direction of the frog-point, thereby causing the entering end of the frog to present an inclined or wedge face to the sides of the car or engine wheels, which will operate as usual to shift such wheels gradually and smoothly onto the frog, the entering ends of the Wheelflanges being slightly curved away from the frograils,thus to prevent any impact between the sides of the Wheels and the flanges on the initial entry of the former into the frog. Of course it will be understood that the opposed faces of the two frog-blocks are oppositely curved, thus to secure the proper shifting of the car-wheels from one of the frog-rails to the other on either side. Thus far the structure de scribed is approximately shown in the application referred to;'but the salient difference between this invention and that just referred to is that the upper faces of the wheelrim treads 11 are inclined toward the center of the frog, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. and the result of this construction is that when the wheels on the rollingstock enter the frog they are caused by the wheel rim treads 10 to shift laterally away from the frog-rails and positively take the frog-point Without striking its end, whereby damage or breakage of the point is positively obviated.

This lateral shifting movement is so gradual that there will be no injurious impact resulting between the car-wheels and the frograils; but, on the contrary, the movement effected is so gradual-in character as not to be noticeable.

The spacing-block 6 is preferably shaped to conform accurately to the opposed faces of the frog-blocks, and, as before stated, all the parts are held combined by the bolts 7.

The frog just described is adapted for use in connection with engines of any type; but for roads employing consolidated engines, in which ball driving-wheels are employed, the form of frog shown in Figs. 3 to 5 is employed. In this embodiment of the invention each frog-block 12 is provided on its outer edge with a flange 13, constituting a Wheel-rim tread which isstraight from end to end and the upper face of which is curved and'begins at the entering end of the frog level with the surface of the frog-rail and then gradually rises toward the center and then gradually descends to the surface of the rail at the leaving end of the frog, or, more specifically stated, the operative face of the wheel-rim tread is reversely inclined on atrue curve from its center to each end. It will be seen that this form of tread performs the same function as the beveled wheel-rim treads 11, inasmuch as the wheels of the rolling-stock on one side will be raised, thereby slightly tilting the engine and cars, which will result in shifting them laterally and causing the flanges of the wheels to miss the apex of the frog-point, but to take the frog properly without jar or to which reference has been made.

It will be seen from the foregoingdescription that although the improvements of this invention are comparatively simple in character they will be thoroughly efiicient in practice for the purposes designed and -wi'li in a positive manner effect the objects sought.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is.

1. A railwayrfrog having a frog-block provided with a wheel-rim tread the operative face of which is inclined from end to end.

2. A railway-frog having a frog-block provided with a straight wheel-rim tread, the operative face of which is reversely inclined on a true .curve from its center to each end.

3. A railway-frog comprising a pair of frog-blocks, a pair of frog-rails, and a spacing-block, all rigidly connected. the frogblocks being provided with wheel-rim treads projecting above the operative face of the frog-rails and inclined toward the same.

In testimony thatI claim the foregoing'as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ENGLE GRAHAM.

Witnesses:

J. S. PERSINGER, Louis W. LANGHORNE. 

